1. A Historical Review of Outdoor Billboard Regulation in the United States: A Case Study of Highway Beautification Act of 1965.
- Author
-
Wang Fagang and Teng Haijian
- Subjects
ROADSIDE improvement ,AUTOMOBILE ownership ,ROAD construction ,TWENTIETH century ,BILLBOARDS - Abstract
Since the early 20th century, the ownership and usage of automobiles in the United States have rapidly increased, leading to large-scale highway construction. Almost simultaneously, in the context of commercial prosperity, outdoor billboards along highways continue to increase, becoming a serious problem affecting the landscape. However, this problem was not initially effectively regulated. In the 1960s, against the backdrop of the rise of environmentalism, President Johnson proposed the concept of "New Conservation" and actively promoted environmental legislation. In 1965, the Highway Beautification Act was enacted. However, after the Act's passage, the regulation of outdoor billboards faced many challenges such as insufficient funding, industry resistance, and unconstitutional accusations, ultimately failing to achieve any actual effect. In spite of this, the historical practices of regulating and governing outdoor billboards in the U.S., along with the new environmental ideas embodied in the 1965 Highway Beautification Act, remain noteworthy today. These ideas reflect Americans' pursuit of quality of life, while the Act's failure highlights the powerful influence of modern commercialism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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